Cornice Cutting

**barca5** · 11-25-2005, 12:05 PM

I am looking for some info on cornice cutting and different techniques to be used. I have read about sawing off a cornice with a snow saw attached to a ski pole. I have also heard of tying knots into a rope and sawing a cornice off with that. Are there any recommendations for using a rope to saw off a cornice. What is the process? Does anyone recommend this method over others?

**zion zig zag** · 11-25-2005, 01:00 PM

I highly reccomend this technique:

Cost about a dollar a foot but takes down a cornice with a big, satisfying boom.

**powderdave** · 11-25-2005, 02:46 PM

Hey Flykdog, can you get that stuff at WalMart?

**zion zig zag** · 11-25-2005, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by powderdave

Hey Flykdog, can you get that stuff at WalMart?

Yes, it's in housewares near the coffeemakers.

**Trackhead** · 11-25-2005, 09:19 PM

Tying knots cuts better, but it makes the rope useless for anything other than just cutting cornices.

When you cut, it's easy to be too ambitious and cut back, making the cornice impossible to kick off. Try to pull the rope up, so the cornice will actually have a steeper sliding surface.

Consider some sort of belay while entertaining yourself sawing cornices.

**nesta** · 12-01-2005, 01:09 AM

You could use it to saw Rutschblocks too
Oh and they sell those sausage links at any butcher or meat market, never seen it at WalMart

**El Kabong** · 12-19-2005, 09:14 AM

When you are cutting a cornice with a knotted rope, what do you use for a weight on the end you throw over the edge? Or is my mental picture of what you are planning to do totally off?

**AltaPowderDaze** · 12-19-2005, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by El Kabong

When you are cutting a cornice with a knotted rope, what do you use for a weight on the end you throw over the edge? Or is my mental picture of what you are planning to do totally off?

i use small washers. you can do without but it's easier to throw with wind when you have a weight.

**couloirman** · 12-19-2005, 08:06 PM

does anyone want to explain what material is being used in that picture/ explain what theyre doing up there. Its not so obvious to us who havent ever cut a cornice yet.

**LeeLau** · 12-19-2005, 08:11 PM

The patrollers there are putting a bomb into the cornice. Cool job if you can get it

**Trackhead** · 12-19-2005, 08:37 PM

Nature and gravity sawed this one off.

**nesta** · 12-19-2005, 11:01 PM

I'm not sure where that photo was taken, but the linked sausage is indeed an explosive just as LeeLau explained. In Canada there is one version called Aqualine, but it is usually red-cased. I have found that linking nitro-based or emulsion explosives with detonating cord is just as or even more effective than using the Aqualine which doesn't have particularly good shelf life. Also shock cord can be used although you end up with a bunch of refuse to pack off the ridge. As for that last photo of nature & gravity's cornice saw, I believe the term for that is a calved cornice, but I'm not 100% sure. I've also heard the term "cleaved" used once or twice, as in the cleft left behind the cornice once it begins to break away from the ridge. The main Flute cornice near Whistler Mtn does this frequently if it reaches full maturity.

**P_McPoser** · 12-19-2005, 11:03 PM

They're using a "trim-tex" type explosive, it's used mostly for the perimeter holes in road cut or underground tunneling blasts to create a smooth fracture plane...Obviously useful in avalanche control as well I guess.

**couloirman** · 12-20-2005, 03:28 PM

so how can a normal person(not ski patrol) get ther hands on these types of explosives? It seems to me it would be better here to talk about how to cut cornices safely without explosives, since i doubt most of us could go out and purchase the stuff. If im wrong let me know. Ive had little luck in using a snow saw as cornices are usually way too large for my bonesaw.

**lemon boy** · 12-20-2005, 03:45 PM

simple: you can't buy that stuff.

the rope with knots/washers is the better way to saw recreationally (see above)

**Trackhead** · 12-20-2005, 04:44 PM

You can always do the time honored method of kicking.

Just don't get too close.

Like I almost did today.

**PNWbrit** · 12-20-2005, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by flykdog

I highly reccomend this technique:

Cost about a dollar a foot but takes down a cornice with a big, satisfying boom.

Isn't this a waste of perfectly good explosives? I'd have thought you could bring this down with one good hard sneeze or a well aimed fart.

**Trackhead** · 12-21-2005, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Isn't this a waste of perfectly good explosives? I'd have thought you could bring this down with one good hard sneeze or a well aimed fart.

But what fun would that be?

**lemon boy** · 12-21-2005, 09:53 AM

The scene; random wa wa trailhead
The actors; officer friendly ("OF"), TH, APD

OF: So boys, looks like a good day to be out huh?
APD: Yes indeed!
OF: Looks like the wind's really been blowing hard lately, some big cornices and pillow's y'all be careful now yahear?
TH: Oh we are always very careful.
OF: Say boys...I was wondering why y'all have so many two litre soda bottles with you?
[APD & TH share a meaningful look]
APD: Well....errr....ummm.... yeah it is sort of a school project we're working on
TH: Yeah...we're uhhh collecting snow samples in purified water to determine....uhhhhh
APD: The salt content of Utah snow due to the lake and ahhhh...
OF: Ohhh I see and is that a package of dry ice?
APD: Yessir...we use that tooo....
TH: eliminate any oxygen which might otherwise contaminate the sample...
APD: uhh yeah!
OF: Well, you boys have a nice day.